CVE-2013-2179: Null Pointer Dereference
X.Org xdm 1.1.10, 1.1.11, and possibly other versions, when performing authentication using certain implementations of the crypt API function that can return NULL, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and crash) by attempting to log into an account whose password field contains invalid characters, as demonstrated using the crypt function from glibc 2.17 and later with (1) the "!" character in the salt portion of a password field or (2) a password that has been encrypted using DES or MD5 in FIPS-140 mode.
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2013-2179?
CVE-2013-2179 is classified as a denial of service vulnerability due to a NULL pointer dereference.
How do I fix CVE-2013-2179?
To fix CVE-2013-2179, update to a version of X.Org xdm newer than 1.1.11.
What versions of X.Org xdm are affected by CVE-2013-2179?
CVE-2013-2179 affects X.Org xdm versions 1.1.10 and 1.1.11.
What can an attacker do with CVE-2013-2179?
An attacker can exploit CVE-2013-2179 to cause a denial of service by crashing the X.Org xdm process.
Is CVE-2013-2179 specific to any operating system?
CVE-2013-2179 is associated with any operating systems that utilize X.Org xdm versions 1.1.10 or 1.1.11.